Their stories vary, but newest Americans express hope for better life (Gallery)

MOBILE, Alabama -- Russian native Maria Nicole Robertson was the only member of her family -- including her 3 children -- who was not an American.

Until today.

Robertson was one of 15 people from a dozen different countries who took the U.S. citizenship oath in Mobile today and became full-fledged Americans.

“We waited 8 years for me to be a citizen,” she said following the ceremony at the federal courthouse downtown. “Now, I can join my family and truly be American.”

Robertson said she was working in an orphanage in her native Moscow in 2000 when she met an American missionary who would become her husband.

“We met. We knew each other for 3 years. We got papers to be married,” she said.

Robertson said she had to wait 5 months to obtain her visa to travel to the United States but finally joined her husband in 2004. Her children automatically became American citizens by virtue of their birth on U.S. soil. But Robertson had to undergo a background check, sit for an interview with immigration authorities and pass English and civics tests in order to get her citizenship.

Her husband, Michael Robertson, said he spent almost 4 years in Russia after attending the International ALERT Academy, a Christian training and service organization based in Texas. He said he spent most of his time in Russia working on construction projects, teaching English and working with orphans.

Now an employee for Coca-Cola, the west Mobile resident said he always intended for his wife to get her U.S. citizenship so that it would make it easier for them to work abroad together as missionaries one day. He said life interrupted several times, from the birth of their children to the challenge of getting together the $800 citizenship application fee.

“It was amazing,” Robertson said after watching his wife take the oath. “The whole reason I came back here was to gain (her) citizenship.”

Maria Robertson said she would like to visit her homeland again but has no desire ever to live there again.

“They don’t have communism anymore, but there are still traces of communism there,” she said.

Missionary work also brought Monique Cordova-Sizemore to America, but in reverse. The Honduran native said she graduated from college in the United States and returned about 12 years ago to work on substance abuse programs in Alabama for the Honduras-based Free the Oppressed Foundation.

While living in Mobile, Cordova-Sizemore met a minister and had a daughter with him. After he died, though, she met and married a Cuban immigrant who encouraged her to become a citizen.

On Saturday, Cordova-Sizemore will celebrate her 4th wedding anniversary. The Cinco de Mayo date, she said, was no a coincidence.

“He wanted it so that we could get free margaritas,” she said. “We’ll never forget our anniversary. Everybody’s always celebrating.”

Khalifabin Zayed Al Nahyan, an Egyptian native who came to America 15 years ago by way of Dubai, said he moved to Mobile after about 2 years in California because his brother was studying at the University of South Alabama. Al Nahyan, who goes by George Fargalla in the U.S., said he enjoys the slower pace of Alabama and the liberty of his new country.

His children are American by birth and his wife, Lilian Maatouk, attained her U.S. citizenship 5 years ago.

“I am very grateful today,” said Al Nahyan, who owns gas stations in Eight Mile and Gulf Shores, a jewelry store at the Cordova Mall in Pensacola and other business interests. “Life here is more freedom than any other country. In other countries, there is a big difference.”